Schedule of events at ATfest 2023

Joining Us at ATFest 2023

Cllr Louise Gittins - Leader of the CW&C Council

Cllr Sheila Little - Lord Mayor of Chester

Samantha Dixon – MP for Chester

Simon O’Brien – TV Actor and Presenter

Liverpool City Region Cycling and Walking Commissioner

Chester Heritage Festival

This event is running alongside ATFest and we are proud to be working with them to encourage people to walk around our amazing city and appreciate it's rich history and heritage. Some events will be on the same day as ATFest but there are plenty of others to enjoy through the week.

For more information about Chester Heritage Festival and their brilliant events click here

"Women of Chester" Guided Walk

Walk in the footsteps of Chester's amazing women. Join one of our local guides on a walk through the city streets and nearly 2,000 years of history. You'll hear the stories of some of the amazing women who founded, defended, and helped shape this ancient city. Whether you're a long-term resident or a first-time visitor, there'll hopefully be something new to intrigue you along the way

Tickets £10. Bookable in advance or on the day from the Visitor Information Centre on Northgate Street.

For more information click here

eBike Taster Ride

Festival Village

Enjoy a FREE eBike taster session at our Festival Village. Whether you’re thinking of buying an electric bike or trying one out for the first time, we are partnering with THE BIKE FACTORY, a Chester based supplier of ebikes to ensure that you enjoy your personal taster session. If you can ride a bike, then let the experts guide you through the basics followed by a short test-ride. They are open to age 16+ and helmets are essential. Whether for leisure or as a sustainable transport option, give it a go…and it’s FREE! 

Dr Bike Repair Shop

FREE health check for your bike at the Festival Village Our friendly on-site mechanics from Cheshire Cycles will assess your bike with a 20 point check ranging from wheels, brakes, gears and tyre pressures to lights, racks, pedals, saddles and more. You’ll then be given a jargon-free written report – a bit like an MOT – which will highlight any identified safety or maintenance issues. Any minor adjustments or repairs will be made there and then if possible. The clinic is taking place at the Festival Village and is open to both children’s and adult bikes with a standard triage time of 15 minutes..

Freestyle Mountain Bike Stunts

Festival Village

FREE to attend at the Festival Village. Cheshire Cycles has teamed up with Extreme Mountain Bike Stunts to present a thrilling stunt display. Headed up by multiple British and European trials bike champion, Danny Buter, the stunt show will amaze and entertain, with riders flying through the air performing breath taking tricks and stunts. This is an extreme sport that requires a lot of discipline and skill to perform at the highest level.

Ginger Scooter Trial

Festival Village

You may have seen the Ginger scooters parked around Chester but have you ever tried one? TRY ONE FOR FREE in our festival Village on 18th June.

Films & Talks

Storyhouse

6 pm Film: THE LAST RIDER

2 pm Chester Heritage Festival - Chester's 3 Rs - Talk  - Grosvenor Museum

An illustrated talk by Paul Hyde providing an overview of three key aspects that help give Chester its distinctive sense-of-place.
No booking of this free event is necessary.

Schools Active Travel Poster Competition

RIVERSIDE INNOVATION CENTRE

Here’s an opportunity to get creative! We’ve partnered with local schools to create the first ever Active Travel poster competition. Entries will be displayed as part of the active travel festival fringe.

FREE ENTRY

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Team Talk

Chester is a unique city with a fabulous range of historical and modern features, excellent facilities and a vibrant community. Its compact nature means that all of these are readily accessible to residents and visitors alike.

Some aspects of our city centre infrastructure limit easy access by walking, cycling or wheeling but it is a far more accessible city than many residents realise. Active Travel for those 1-2 mile journeys into and across the city is a real alternative, with many more possible routes than people realise. Why not join us on 18th June 2023 and help us to broaden your knowledge and experience. Register now…

Whether you are motivated to improve the health and well-being of yourself and your family, or feel passionate about the need to reduce city centre air pollution and limit the risk of respiratory diseases, or you just want to make a small step to help reduce your carbon footprint, Chester’s first Active Travel Festival is a great place to start.

We will be working with local school, social and business communities to encourage as many people as we can to join in the fun and entertainment provided on the day. We also want to make sure that the journey into the city is part of the fun by encouraging community groups to travel in together, maybe in fancy dress, maybe dressed in school sports wear, maybe with decorated bikes. It’s up to you all to make it fun for everyone.
Email us now with other ideas that you may have to make the day more fun.

Our ambition is to ensure that at least 2000 residents from Chester and its near suburbs feel motivated to join us for a day of fun, entertainment and education. However there is also a serious side to our ambitions for ATfest 2023. We hope for many residents to make this event a first step for them to make a significant change in their travel behaviour.

In this process before, during and after the event, we want to understand the real and practical issues that dissuade people from using active travel and thereby identify ways to mitigate against these constraints and barriers in the future. Your participation and honest feedback will play a major part is helping us to achieve this ambition. Register now and complete our survey.